The BBC faces calls to be protected from political interference to preserve editorial independence after the iPlayer broadcast of Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set. The performance included chants of "death, death to the IDF" and other derogatory comments, and several BBC staff were asked to step back from duties after the live stream. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy demanded "accountability at the highest levels", a demand interpreted by some as a push for director-general Tim Davie's resignation. The culture ministry denied explicitly requesting the director-general's removal. Concerns persist that a perceived political presence over the BBC undermines trust and independence.
The culture secretary has been repeatedly clear that the role of the director general is a matter for the BBC board. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue.
Several staff were asked to step back from their duties after the live streaming of Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set, where the punk duo led chants of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]" and made other derogatory comments.
'The culture secretary's office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chair, to deliver up the director general's resignation... but people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message,' Harding said.
In his keynote MacTaggart Lecture, Harding said the perception of a 'political presence looming over the BBC' is a problem and that the broadcaster needs to be 'beyond the reach of politicians'.
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